Fire extinguisher



Jllly 5 1932- A. w. BURNHAM. n 1,865,151

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed `inne 20. 1929 Patented July. 5, 1932` UNITED STATES ARNOLD w. BURNHAM,` or rnovrnnivcnfnnonn 1sLANn,Ass1eNoia To coNTnon Inc., or MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, lA coruoRATIoiaor MASSACHUSETTS Finn EXTINGI'SHER Y Application med June 2o, 1929;' seal waaraan, i

rIvhis invention relates to an improvement in lire extinguishers, and more 'particularly fire extinguishers of. thetypein which a fire extinguishing `chemical is released automati-` Q callyby. heat and sprayed upon the burning material.

`The primary object of provide extinguishing chemical is ejected from "the ,e extinguisher by the pressure created by gas generated from a chemical heated by the fire to be extinguished. and'which extinguisher is normally closed by a valve cap heldin the closing position by the co-action ofme- L, chanical and fusible means. A furtherlobject of this invention is to provide a re ex-` tinguisher, the outlet of which is closed by a valve cap lheld seated bythe coactionof mechanical and fusible means, the latter be- 2G ing rendered inoperative bythe heat of 'the fire and the former Ybeing overcome by the pressure of the chemical within the fire extinguisher. Y ff Other objects ofthe invention'will be ap- 25 parent toone skilled in the art from an examination of the followingspecication ,takenthis invention is to in connection with the drawing which Vforms4 a part thereof and whichcomprises langelevational view, partly in section', of av lire ex- 30 tinguisherembodying one form Vof this in vention. j Y

The extinguisher selected forillustration comprises. av container 10 of aluminum orV other material of suthcient strength' to' with- 35 stand a predeterminedpressure.- Fixed in the lower end of the container 10 is an annularrhead 11A having aboss 12 which is` in threaded engagement with the wall of the container10 and which contains. acentral 40 Vopening 13 4in which is supported aisiphon tube 14. This tube extends substantially the length of the container, as shown inthe drawing,

45 closedA by any, suitable means a valve cap 16 a fire extinguisher in whichv the fireV and terminates below the kboss l12v ina nozzle .the outlet 15 of which Ais normally being here Shown. The cap'lma' be of any desired' typelbutfitpreferably ts tightly over the nozzle* of the siphon to provide-:a Y liquid seal. The cap. 16 is held in position on thenjozzle by a springclip 17 which fen-v gages a flange 18 von the bossf 12. AThe clip 17 preferably -isof spring "Steel or other metal j and may be adjusted to resista pressure ofv any predetermined amount.- The valve cap is l u further-held in position "onfthe nozzle by a fusible link l19 whichjbears against the clip 17@ and against the distributorl vplate 20 mounted in the head 11.,

Surrounding vthe upper portion'offthe con- Y tainer 10is atubing 21of2aluminum or simi-k lar materialpreferably formed with a 'Series u of coilsj 22 and :sealed at its lower end V`23 Vin any desired manner. I Thetubing 21 c'on-` tinues Abeyond the upper coilto'forin avloio'p 25 -and'enter'sthe upper end of the container 10,"bei ngheld1insuc h positionfby any suitable `means. such, 'f or example,*as the y'nut 26. Surrounding the coils 22 is ajacket' 27 y terminatingfatits lower end in anoutwardly extending flange 28.'l The j a'cket`27 is pref` erably spaced apredeter'mined distancefrom the container 10 andV is also spaced frointhe coils`22 by suitable blocks or; spacers '29. f

` The tubing 2l`c'onstitute's a-press'ure gener-v ator, yt'helicoils '22 forming'av chamber which mayY belled with any chemical, preferably liquidV havingl aV low boilin,f ;point` such chemicals being ,forfinstanceammonim carbon dioxide, nitrogen orcarbon tetra 'chloi ride andl the rloop 25-fformi`ng ya passage through'wbichY thegas generated under heat by the Vchemical inthe chamber is y'conducted y in the room to be protectevdf-.l 'fV :l Y

'.Iphe fre extinguisher' is prepared lfor serv'- intothecontaiiier l10. ,Thefcontainerffld i it can be support/ed. in the'desired position n ice by filling the container WithY the desired fire extinguishing chemical and the generator tubing 21With the preferred loW 17 is so formed'gthat when the Apressure created in the container exceeds a predeterf mined limit it will unseat the cap 16 from ment Wiltliftheflange 18. Should a fire start in the room protected by one or more ofthese extinguishers the heat therefrom will 'raisethe temperature of the tubing 21 andcausa the chemical therein to generate gas. TheV gas; from the chemical is conducted through the passage into the containerV 10'` and,V exerts pressureupon'the chemical therein forcing i-t toz travel throughsthe Siphon-.14 tothe out-y letgl.. In the meantime the link 19 has.l fused and no longerv has anya'ction o n-.the vaine capv 16 andthe pressure of the.v chemical in? the Siphon 14 will force the cap 16' and clip 1 7 rway'from the outlet lfjThe chemical leaving the outlet 15: strikes-the distributor plate 2,0 and is sprayedinto the room to be gasiiiect and diffused intoan extinguishing gas blanket. Y Y Vj .o

Y v The' juf-:hetl 27 actsfnotjonlyto rprotect the tubing 21 frominjurybutfalso to.'V formv a iiuo through whieh. theijheatfrom the tire passes so that the Walls-of the-generator tubing 21 are-.etuiclrly.l heatedand the chemical therein turned to a vapor The, spacers 29 function-also to deiiecttheheattoyvjard the tubing and to..,preyentgit from escaping unused: from 'the fopentop: .of the jacket.27.,` Y. ,v lLf the Acomposition of thelin-k 19l beV such thati-t Will; f use before the chemical in the tubing 2'1- lgenerates much gas 'the link will not, oppose the Apressure exerted by the hre extinguishing chemical upon the cap 16 and clip 17. Ifmoutheother hand, the Ychemical inthe tubing f2.1 creates gas andfjiforces the fire extinguishing chemicalrinto the Siphon before;` the linlr fuses-thel'attenwill supplef ment theresistanceofthe cap. 16; and clip 117 to; internalgpressure andthe Vchemical Will then. escape Aa-sgscrionK as the fusion of the Ylink -either in lealsagee-e*orA ontbe other hand in sealing'theclos ing 4meaifis :and: renderingthe removes itsv action'` upon thev clipA 17. o

'It l.; beunderstood'that under ordinary conditions thecontainer10 will he filled by .remoying the tubing '21andffthat a certain amountl op:t.air` will betrapped in `the Siphon 154.,- Suchv airfwaill prevent thechemicalyin the container from directly contacting VWith -theoutlet ,closing means. and. avoid the danger off corrosionfthereby which mightY result extinguisher inoperative. Moreoverthe chemisi ical in the container 10 Will be separated from the chemical in the tubing 21 by a body of 'air or Vapor Which will not materially retard the chemical in the tubing from generating gas when the predetermined temperature is reached.

vWhileone embodiment only of this invention has been shown and described I am not limited thereby since others might be made Without departing fromthe spirit and scope oftheinyention asset forth inthe following claims. Y

Iclaim: 1. A lire .extinguisher comprising a container for a. fire extinguishing chemical having an outlet, means normally closing said outlet,v said means kbeing arranged to be displaced by pressure, a chamber containing a chemical adapted' to' generate gas under the inflnenee of heat closed. at `one end and connected at the other end to the container by a passagethrough. which the generated gas. is conducted from the chamber to the container to exert pressure upon the chemicaltherein'. and cause it to escape through the outlet forcing the closing means. out. of the normal position,l said container projecting in part below. said chamber and both being directly exposed to,A the heat ofthe fire whereby the chemicals infeach are directly causedto generate gas. 2. ii're extinguisher comprising a container fora fire extinguishing chemical directly exposed to the heat oft a hre, said container Vhaving anr outlet,v means normally closing said outlet, a` chamber. containing. a chemical adapted to generate gas under the influence of heat,rwhichchamber surrounds the container and is connected thereto by a. single. communicating-r means through which the generated c gas fis Vconducted fromI the chamber.' to the container ,toexert pressure upon the chemical therein.V 4 v Y 3. A fire extinguisher comprisingja; container for a vfire. extinguishing chemical directly exposed to the heatl off a fire7 said' container having. an outletmeansnormally closing saidoutlet, andy aY tubing lcomprising a plurality ofcoilssurrounding said container; in. whichis a chemical adaptedl to generate gas under the influence ofheat,'said tubing being closed atA one.. end and connected at the other end o to the container a. passage through which the generated gasVv is conduct? ed from the coils intothe. container to exert pressure upon the'chemical therein.;

4. A fire extinguisher comprising, a conv Apassage throughwhich. the .generated gasis conducted 'fromnthechamber to the container to yexert pressure, upon; the: vchemical therein and a jacket 'surrounding'fandspacedA from said chamber by vvhich heat is directed there" to. Y

5. A fire extinguisher comprising-a container for a fire extinguishing chemical having an outlet, means normally closingrsaid outlet, a tubing comprising a plurality'of coils surrounding said container in which is a chemical adapted togenerate gas under the influence of heat and a passage through which the generated gas is conducted from the coils into the container to exert pressure upon the chemical therein and a jacket surf rounding and spaced from the coils whereby heat is directed thereto.

6. A fire extinguisher comprising a container for a fire extinguishing chemical having an outlet, means for closing said outlet,

mechanical and fusible means coactingvvith n said closing means for holding the closure in the functioning position, a chamber con-n taining a chemical adapted to generate gas under the influence of heat and a passage Y through which the generated gas is conductfor generating pressure upon the chemical in c the container, mechanical means acting upon the cap to hold it in the outlet closing position until the generated pressure has reached a predetermined amount and fusible means acting upon the mechanical means to supplement its action upon the cap.

8. AV fire extinguisher Acomprising a container for a fire extinguishing chemical having an out-let, a cap for closing said outlet, A

means for generating pressure upon the chemical in the container, mechanical means acting upon the cap to hold it in the outlet closing position until c the generated pressure has reached a predetermined amount and fusible means acting upon -the mechanical means to supplement its action upon the capsaid last named means being. fused at the time` that pressure is generated upon the chemical.

9. A fire extinguisher comprising a con-` tainer for a fire extinguisher chemical having an outlet, a closure for the outlet, spring means normally holding the closure closed ing an outlet, a closure for the outlet, spring means normally holding the closure closed, which means tend to release .thev closure when the pressure generated in the container has exceeded a predetermined amount and fusible means which prevent thespring means from releasing the closure until said'fusible means has been-fused by heat.

Signed by me at Providence,.Rhode Island, c

this seventeenth day of June,1929.

. `ARNOLD vv. BURNHAM.. y

Which means acts until a predetermined pres- .Y

sure has been created in the container bythe action of heat, and fusible means which prevent the spring means fromV releasing the v closure until said fusible means Vhas beeny fused by heat. e

10. A re extinguisher lcomprising aconi tainer fory a fire extinguishing chemical havi-lao, 

